PR 4809 
.H18 N3 
1916a 
Copy 1 



Nazareth: a Morality 
in One Act : by Laurence 
Housman 



Samuel French: Publisher 

28-30 West Thirty-eighth St. : New York 

Samuel French, Ltd. 

26 Southampton Stebbt, Strand 



LONDON 



PRICE 35 CENTS 



Nazareth : a Morality 
in One Act: by Laurence 
Housman 



Samuel French: Publisher 

28-30 West Thirty-eighth St. : New York 

Samuel French, Ltd. 

26 Southampton Steeet, Steand 

LONDON 

PRICE 35 CENTS 



c ' \ 






Copyright, 1916 

By LAURENCE HOUSMAN 






CAUTION Amateurs and Professionals are hereby- 
warned that " NAZARETH," being- fully protected 
under the copyright laws of the United States, is sub- 
ject to royalty, and any one presenting the play with- 
out the consent of the author or his authorized agent, 
will be liable to the penalties by law provided. Ap- 
plication for the right to produce " NAZARETH " must 
be made to Samuel French, 28-30 West 38th Street, 
New York City. 

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 



NAZARETH. 



PROLOGUE. 

Since Love first looked on life with human eyes, 
Twixt him and us time like a curtain lies. 
Of all the years while He made life His own 
With dear familiar touch — how little's known! 
The gospels of His Birth, the tale make plain 
Then two years till He died and rose again, 
Naught else remains to us of all, save when 
He, at Jerusalem, with learned men 
Was by His parents found, and taken thence 
Back to far Nazareth. And by no sense 
Of mortal mind from where they now lie hid 
Can we recover the fair things He did, 
Growing to man's estate, that He might die 
For man's salvation; hidden there they lie. 
The days which mounted up to Calvary. 

Yet here on earth that lovely deed was done ; 
Love in man's form took life from wind and sun, 
Waked, slept, ate bread and toiled, and without 

speed. 
Patient, made test of each frail weak human need ; 
Found means on small frail feet men's ways to go ; 
From mother tongue was taught man's speech to 

know; 
So, for man's making, childhood, boyhood, youth. 
Each he endowed in turn with deathless truth, 
Himself the type and pattern for each stage 
Of human growth. Oh ! in what future age 
Shall we who, seeking that lost Pattern, roam. 
Find it again, and to that form come home? 

3 



4 NAZARETH. 

Ah, friend! this simple showing that ye see 

Of Love at Nazareth, this is not He ! 

'Tis but a thought, a fathering wish, a prayer 

That with hearts knit we may come closeher there. 

Where He Uved lowly. Lo, He by your side 

Lies hidden, a waiting guest, still multiplied 

By man's still growing needs, — with such intent 

He made humanity His SajCrament ; 

The flesh and blood, which here we beat and bruise. 

Is Christ's. Ah, put it to some better use ! 

Be members all with all! Hear what Love saith. 

And make your home with Him at Nazareth! 



NAZARETH 



Scene: — The Carpenter's shop is a low, broad 
chamber built of zvood. At the back to the 
left-center a wide open doorzvay reveals a level 
stretch of landscape. It is late afternoon, but 
the air 4s still pale with the heat of day. 
To the right of the door is a small square 
zvindozv with wooden shutters throzvn wide; be- 
fore it stands a carpenter's bench upon which 
lies a wooden door frame nearly finished. The 
carpenter and his assistant are quietly at work 
planing, and boring holes for the fitting in of the 
rivets; beneath them the floor is strewn with 
shavings, saw-dust, and odds and ends of wood. 
Azvay to the left, near a spinning wheel, sits an 
aged woman combing flax. Against the wall 
to the safne side of the doorway sits Mary, the 
carpenter's zvife, zvith a book upon her knees; 
on the other side her son stands against the 
door-post, with his back to the interior, looking 
out into the sunshine. 

After the scene has opened the carpenter raises 

himself from a stooping position, and hands 

over to Reuben, his assistant, a beam of wood. 

which the latter lays aside. 

Carpenter. 'Twill soon be done. Nay, we'll not 

need that now. Yes, speak on. If you read slowly 

enough, I can give heed. 

Mary. {Reading) " Because his visage was so 
marred, many did marvel at him then, for more 

5 



6 NAZARETH. 

than most his form was scarred, yea, more than all 
the sons of men. Yet him shall all the nations hear, 
and kings shall shut their mouths for fear." 

Carpenter. {To Reuben) Be careful, now the 
cross-beam's laid. 

Old Anna. What cause have kings to be afraid? 

Mary. {Reading) " Who hath believed our re- 
port? To whom is the Lord's arm revealed? He 
shall grow up in tender sort, and as a root from a 
dry field, having no form nor comeliness, that men 
who see should scorn him less." 

Carpenter. Hold it fast, now! Nay, don't let 

go- 

Mary. — 

" He is rejected and despised, 
A man of sorrows, grief his lot. 
He came to us unrecognized, 
Despising, we esteemed him not. 
Surely our sorrows he hath borne. 
And for our sins hath felt the rod. 

Wherefore he seemed a shape for scorn 

One smitten by the hand of God. 
But he was wounded for our sins. 
For our iniquities was scourged, 
By chastisement our peace he wins. 
And with his strips mankind is purged. 
All we like sheep have gone astray, 
Turned everyone to his own way. 
And upon him the Lord doth lay 
The iniquity of all." 

(Old Anna touches her daughter, and points to- 
ward the child.) 

Mary. {After a pause, watching him) 
My son, what yonder dost thou see. 
That holds thy gaze so steadfastly? 
Come hither, child, and tell it me. 

Child. — 



NAZARETH. 7 

I see the land all parched and dry, 
And sheep, vvithout a shepherd nigh, 
And surely some look like to die. 

Anna. I see no sheep. 

Mary. — 
Nay, dearest one. 

Thine eyes are dazzled by the sun ; 
See, in the field thy playmates run, 
Wilt thou not join them? 

Child. — 
Mother, nay ! 
I will not go with them to-day. 

Anna. He never was a child for play. 

Child. Mother, what were you reading then? 

Mary. — 
Isaiah's prophecy how men 
Shall still be blind when God again 
Comes to save Zion and redeem 
His chosen ones. 

Child. Was it a dream? 
Or did he see? How did he know? 

Mary. He heard God's word, and told men so. 

Child. And was that many years ago ? 

Mary. Seven hundred years. 

Child. — 
But having here 

His w^ord to guide them, do men fear 
They will not see Salvation near? 

Anna. Aye ! many fear it. I for one. 

Carpenter. There, that's right! Now, 'tis al- 
most done. 

(The child turns towards the carpenter'^s bench) 
Mary. Thou will not miss that sight, my son. 
Carpenter. — 

Come, little son, and hold the wood ! 

Brace hard the end, while I make good 

The upright. See how crooked it stood! 



8 NAZARETH. '^^ 

Child. What art thou making, father? 

Carpenter. — 
Nay, 

See for thyself, my child, what way 
One grows to wisdom day by day. 
It is a door. 

(Reuben goes and takes a cup, dips it in a howl of 
water near the door and drinks.) 

Child. Whose door? 

Carpenter. 
Why, mine, 
Till Fm paid for it ! .. ' 

Child. How came it thine? 

Carpenter. I made it. 

Child. How ? 

Carpenter. — 
Well, first I bought 
The timber; after that I wrought. 
Rough hewed and shaped it, leaving nought 
To chance — so that all parts agree 
When joined together. Dost thou see? 
Art satisfied ? 

Child. {After a pause) Who made the tree? 

Carpenter. {After a pause) God made the tree, 
my son. 

Child. — 
And through 

Long years it put forth leaf, and grew 
In beauty till man came and slew. 

{He caresses the zvood, laying his face upon it) 

Carpenter. Strange fancies still! 

Child. — 
And so the tree 
Died, and gave up its life to be 
A door through which man passes free. 



NAZARETH. 9 

To work God's will. 

Carpenter. — 
Come, come, you waste 
Your father's time, my son! Make haste, 
Reuben — we've got the lintel placed; 
Bring me the nails. 

Reuben. (As he hnings the nails and drives 
them in. Sings) 
Oh, what is yon tree that stands so high 

And stretches its arms in sorrow? 
" Oh, that is the gallows where I must die, 

Where I must die to-morrow." 

/ Oh, what hast thou done, my only son. 
That thou shouldst die to-morrow? 
" My life I lend to a well-loved friend 
Who health of me would borrow." 

If so thou lend to a well-loved friend. 

How heavy must be his sorrow ! 
" Ah, say not so, for well I know 

I hang by his hand to-morrow." 

{The child has taken the bag of nails from Reuben, 
and hands thetn to him, one by one, as he drives 
them in. One of the nails pierces the child's 
palm. He bozvs his head over it.) 
Carpenter. — 

Why, there, there, there ! You've done it now ! 

Reuben, 'twas your fault to allow 

A little child like him to play 

With anything so sharp as they! 

(Mary comes forward and kneels by the child's side. 
She takes his hand and tries to staunch the 
blood) 

Has it gone far? 



10 NAZARETH. 

Mary. — 
The wound is deep. 
Stay, I will bind it ! See you keep 
Your hand up, child. Quick, mother, bring 
Yon water fresh-drawn from the spring , 
To wash it clean, for there was rust. 

(Anna brings the water bowl, while Reuben draws 
for^ward a lozv bench at one end of which she 
sets it down) 

Maybe, upon the iron, or dust 

To cause a festering in the wound. 

(Mary bathes his hand and binds it. The child 
closes his eyes and sinks against her breast.) 

Anna. — 
Oh ! See, he has already swooned 
For loss of blood. 

Mary. — 
Nay, nay, 'tis sleep ! 
Aye! saw you not how at the leap 
Of first sharp pain his face lit up, 
And how he bowed as to a cup 
His lips, and drained it to the lees? 
So to this spirit now comes ease 
And rest ; for surely here he tastes 
Of that dark vintage of the wastes 
Whereto, for mortal need, he hastes. 

Carpenter. Strange words ! 

Mary. — 
But stranger than all words 
The peace which holds him now and herds 
My lamb's life with the blessed dead. 

(She moves to lay him along the bench. Anna 
spreads a cloak across it) 



NAZARETH. ii 

Lift off the bowl, and let his head 
Rest so, even so. 
Carpenter. — 
There ! Let him lie 
Quiet awhile. Ah! he won't die 
Of that ! 

{He lays his hand kindly upon his wife, then turns 
away. Evening has he gun to close in) 

Now, Reuben, you and I 
Must stir while daylight yet allows ! 
This door is for the High-Priest's house, 
And should already be in its place 
For now Passover comes apace; 
And last night they sent word to say 
'Twas to be up before the day, 
So that the lintel beam might bear 
The blood-marks for the coming year. 

Mary. Look! There are stains already there! 

Carpenter. I'll wash them off ! 

Mary.— 
Nay, let them stay! 
This blood, I trow, was shed to-day 
To take some mortal's guilt away. 
{The two men have lifted the door and set it to 
stand against the middle post of the doorway 
zvhere it makes the form of three crosses 
standing together.) 

Carpenter. — 
Soon through this door the holy feet 
Of Caiaphas in service met 
Shall pass each day to do God's will. 

Mary. — 
And, what he hath ordained, fulfill. 
And some day they shall bring a I^mb 
And slay, and lo, upon the jamb 



12 NAZARETH. 

And lintel of this self-same door, 
Where blessed blood has been before, 
More blessed blood shall then be spilt 
To take from Caiaphas his guilt. 

{The men having put away their tools lift the door 
and carry it away.) 

Anna. {Reading) '* He was taken from prison 
and from judgment, and who shall declare his gen- 
eration? For he was cut off out of the land of the 
living, for the transgression of my people was he 
smitten . And he made his grave with the wicked, 
and with the rich in his death ; because he had done 
no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth." 

{Voices of zuater-carriers heard without.) 

1ST Antiphon. The bows of the mighty men 
are broken. 

2ND Antiphon. And they that stumbled are 
girded with strength. 

1ST Antiphon. They that were full have tih-ed 
themselves for bread. 

2ND Antiphon. And they that were hungry have 
ceased. 

{The women pass by.) 

1ST Antiphon. So that the barren hath born 
seven. 

2ND Antiphon. And she that hath many child- 
ren is waxed feeble. 

1ST Antiphon. — 
The Lord killeth, and maketh alive. 
He bringeth down to the grave and bringeth up. 

2ND Antiphon. The Lord maketh poor and 
maketh rich. He bringeth low and lifteth up. 

Mary. It is the women going to the well. 



NAZARETH. 13 

Anna. What are they singing? 

Mary. — 
Of the joy that fell. 
To Anna for her first-born, Samuel. 

Anna. And thy joy also ! 

Mary. And the pain as well ! 

1ST Antiphon. He raiseth the poor out of the 
dust. 

2ND. Antiphon. And lifeth up the beggar from 
the dunghill. 

1ST Antiphon. To set them among the princes. 

2ND Antiphon. And to make them inherit the 
throne of glory. 

1ST Antiphon. He will keep the feet of his 
saints. 

2ND Antiphon. And the wicked shall be silent 
in darkness. 

1ST Antiphon. For by strength shall no man 
prevail. 

2ND Antiphon. The adversaries of the Lord 
shall be broken in pieces. 

(The voices pass away. It begins to grow dark.) 

Anna. (Sings as she winds her flax) 
Little child, lo, I spin 
Flax to clothe thy body in; 
Little child, do not grieve 
Out of this a cloth I'll weave, 

Make of it a little shirt, 

What man shall do thee hurt? 
So while it lasts, wear it still, 
What man shall wish thee ill ? 
Do not from thy body strip 
This ; 'tis human fellowship. 

(She lays the cloth over the child) 
Mary. — 



14 NAZARETH. 

When thou to death art bowed 
This web shall be thy shroud. 
So in fellowship with all 
Thy soul shall meet God's call, 
Oh, then, may my soul, too, 
Wake and see the darkness through 
And my ears, no longer bound, 
List, to the heavenly sound! 

{A pause. Anna lights a small lamp. As she goes 
to place it in the window she stops. Its light 
falls on the sleeping child) 

Mary. — 
See, from his face has passed the pain. 
And every sense of heart and brain 
Is gathered unto rest again. 
O son, O child, while round thy sleep 
The peace of God lies folded deep. 
Thou can'st not hear thy mother w^eep. 
Oh, me, the anguish and the dread 
Of that dark hour which lies ahead 
When I shall see thee lying dead. 
Clay, cold, and all my cares undone! 
O perfect, pure, and stainless one. 
My son, my own, my little son. 
(A sound of sheep passing is heard. A shepherd 
stops at the door, and looks in. He draws off 
his hat.) 

Shepherd. God's peace be in this house. (He 
goes on his way) 

Anna. Again ! 

Mary. Who spoke? 

Anna. — 
The shepherd from the plain. 
The stranger, so last night he came 
And stayed to greet us in God's name, 



NAZARETH. 15 

Then went. 
Mary. — 
And there were others, too, 
Who also stayed. 

(A stranger passes the door.) 

Stranger. Peace be with you ! 

Mary. God give you peace. (She rises and 
turns) 

Anna. Nay, he is gone. 

Mary. — 
Oh, strange ! And more w^ill come anon, 
And each one turning from his way, 
Wik halt here at the door to say ^ 
Some word, or show by look or sign 
That here peace dwells 1 

(Enter an old man.) 
Old Man.— 
Yes, peace is thine ! 
I would I would to God, such peace were mine. 

(Enter a little child, led by its mother. The little 
one kneels beside the bench where the other 
child is laid.) 

Little Child. — 
Gentle Jesus, meek and mild, 
Look upon a little /child. 
Pity my simplicity, 
And suffer me to come to thee ! 
CTh mother lifts the little one from its knee and 
carries it away.) 

Old Man. (Weeping, he stands in the child's 
place ) 
I'm an old sinner, oft have I gone tie road 



1 6 NAZARETH. 

Of mine own will, so now I bear the load ; 
And in my body grief has come to pass ! 
Surely, the preacher saith, all flesh is grass, 
And goodliness the flower of the field. 
Lo, the wind passeth, and its day is o'er, 
And in his place man's name is known no more. 
Grod give us peace. 

{He kneels. While he speaks others have entered. 

The scene has grown dark. One of the men 

carries a lantern) 

1ST Man. The grass withereth, the flower 

f adeth, but the word of our God shall stand forever. 

2ND Man. Son of God, shine on us ! 

{All kneel) 
3RD Man. Lamb of God, look on us! 
4TH Man. Shepherd of men, set thy sign on us ! 
5TH Man. And lay thy yoke on us ! 
1ST Man. And we will be thankful. 
{The moon rises. Outside the door, others are seen 
kneeling: men, women and children.) 
All. Hail, Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with 
thee! Blessed art thou among women, and blessed 
is the fruit of thy Avomb : Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother 
of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of 
our death. Amen. 

{One by one the men rise and go out. The crowd 
outside also disappears. Anna goes and close's 
the door, and the shutter of the window. The 
house is flooded with moonlight. Mary kneels 
at the head of the sleeping child. Voices are 
heard singing.) 

Voices. — 
Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum! 
Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et Benedictus 
Frustus ventris tui, Jesus ! 

CURTAIN. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




